Black Belt is closing its 2012 lineup with a hard-hitting issue featuring martial arts legends, martial arts movies, martial arts techniques and martial arts history! In this exclusive sneak preview of the December 2012 issue — in subscribers’ hands October 16 and hitting newsstands October 23 — we’ll give you a look at what’s coming and how our article selections fit into the martial arts scene at large.

Our cover story for the December 2012 issue of Black Belt is an exclusive interview with none other than sanda champ and 2007 Black Belt Hall of Fame Kung Fu Artist of the Year Cung Le.

Cung Le’s budding movie career finds him appearing in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film The Man With the Iron Fists — an homage to the classic martial arts movies of the famed Hong Kong-based Shaw Brothers Studios.

Cung Le’s exclusive Q&A cover story — “Life Begins at 40: Fighting and Filming With the Chinese Martial Arts Legend Cung Le” — delves into topics such as the following:

turning 40 in what’s typically considered a young person’s sport

how age can be an advantage over younger opponents

Cung Le’s traditional martial arts history

how traditional martial arts can benefit athletes in other sports — including MMA

Cung Le’s future goals in the UFC

how Cung Le got the role in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming The Man With the Iron Fists

MEET JON FOO
Dr. Craig Reid profiles Jon Foo, the star of Bangkok Revenge, who began his martial arts training in London before moving to Hong Kong to work with the Jackie Chan stunt team and Yuen Woo-ping.

KARATE WAY
Dave Lowry — author of Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword — outlines a simple method for using a shinai and a tennis ball to test your ability to block punches. Warning: You may be surprised at how you perform.

FAR EAST
The martial arts world lost a legendary fighter on August 31, 2012, when full-contact pioneer and instructor extraordinaire Joe Lewis passed away.

WAY OF THE WARRIOR
The question has been asked ever since the arts made their way to America: Should you learn the language when studying an Asian martial art? Keith Vargo responds.

FIT TO FIGHT
The great Steve “Nasty” Anderson talks about his double hip replacement and how it changed the way he teaches and trains.

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
Evaluating accomplishments, issuing rank, certifying instructors, consulting with businesses — the World Martial Arts College is a comprehensive support center.